Matthew is the project officer for two major EU research projects, which look at how to bring about a sustainable future. As well as overseeing the work of two large consortia (10-12 institutes) and ensuring the acquisition of new projects, he researches the governance of natural resources in the former Soviet Union, in particular in Russia and the Republic of Tatarstan.

Matthew's background is in Environmental Governance (MSc 2014, Freiburg) and Social Anthropology (BA 2008, Cambridge). In between the two degrees, he worked on projects for the Organizations for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Azerbaijan, before spending a couple years in the energy sector with a focus on the Middle Eastern and Caspian regions.